The Capital City of Canada, Ottawa is home to the world famous UNESCO heritage site, The Rideau Canal, and of course Capital Hill. With under one million people living in it's borders, Ottawa is the fourth largest city in Canada, but still manages to maintain that town city feel. If you are relocating to Ottawa, for work or school, or just for a change of environment your first priority is most likely looking for a place to live. This article will provide you with some tips when looking for an apartment in Ottawa.

Knowing Your Budget

The most important aspect when beginning an apartment search is determining how much you can afford each month. Ottawa offers many apartments with scenic views, from Capital Hill to the Ottawa River. Those with the best views are typically the most expensive, so knowing your budget will help you to say within your means.

Now that you know your budget, it is time to narrow down your search to specific locations.

Ottawa Neighbourhoods

Ottawa has a rich a diverse culture with neighbourhoods to match. Each neighbourhood has its own unique feel to it, for good or for bad, but to really determine where you want to live you'll need to have a good understating of your own needs. For example, if you are looking for an apartment for your family, then you might want to look for apartments that are closer to schools. If access to public transportation is your focus, then you will want to make sure the apartment is on the transit route.

Now that you've narrowed your search down to specific neighbourhoods and apartments with your budget the final stage is to begin searching for them.

Searching For An Ottawa Apartment

To begin your search you first need to know where to look. The internet offers many great resources as do newspapers. Local newspapers, and even their online counterparts, offer a great resource to begin your search.

The internet, although another invaluable resource, also has its own drawbacks; popular classified websites like Craigslist are a known area for scam artists and fraudsters. It should go without saying that you should never send anyone money over the internet, and if it is too good to be true, it probably is.

It goes without saying that you should never commit yourself to renting a place without first seeing it, so now is the time to get out there and start looking at potential apartments.

Going To See Apartments

It can be easy to loose track of things if you are not properly organized. When viewing multiple apartments it's a good idea to keep extensive notes, so later when you are at home you can make a proper decision on which apartments you want to apply for. If the landlord gives you permission, taking video or pictures of the apartment may help you as well.

Looking for an apartment can be a gruelling task, but as long as know your budget, understand what each neighbourhood has to offer and are organized with your apartment search, it can be a fun and exciting time.


Corey Rozon is a freelance writer from Ottawa, Canada. This article about how to find an Ottawa rentalapartment, such as 2 bedroom apartments Ottawa, was written on behalf of Osgoode Properties.